Fallen Hero
by Andy0001z
Summary: Commander Howard Rimmer steals a top secret craft, he's on a mission, a mission to save himself from the Rimmer Gene.
1. Chapter 1

_Well hello fellow Red Dwarf fic readers/writers. Been a while hasn't it, well I'm back kicking bottom and with some more bonkers RD fic. So hang tight as we go on a little journey into the mind of Howard Rimmer._

Chapter 1

A tall baco suited, confident man strides his way down the corridor to command HQ. Before he enters the door, he sweeps his hair aside and looks at his wrist watch, it read 23:00hrs, oh well better late than never, he thought.

Inside HQ a panel of stern looking men and women sit behind large metal tables, notability the only item on item on these tables was a single small wooden hammer. They waited and watched as the man from the corridor steeped into the hearing.

A small beady-eyed man slowly stood up, resting his palms on the table, his wrists pointing outwards. "Commander Rimmer, do you know why you have been brought before this hearing?"

The Commander nodded. "Yes sir I believe I do?"

Another man sitting on the far left of the group speaks without getting up. A thought crosses the Commanders mind, this mans voice sounds more pompous than even those jump up space jockeys that are found on Jupiter. "Commander you are charged with gross insurrection of duty, you sir if found guilty will be stripped of rank and demoted to the lowest of the low, with." A pause hangs in the air, letting the last statement sink in. The man smiles and continues "Little hope of ever regaining your current stature."

The Commander rocked up onto the balls of his feet and down again, he knew all to well what he had done, what his fate was.

The next five hours ticked by in a flash; cross-questioning, vid analysis and professional opinions all chucked into the melting pot of guilt.

"So", began the woman at the centre of the panel. "Commander Howard Rimmer, it seems we have a decision to make, you do realise that the result of this panel's outcome may affect the rest of your life!"

* * *

Two weeks earlier, Jupiter outer rings.

Inside a small demi zipper craft a lone man flicks the last series of flight switches and radios in. "Central this is Commander Rimmer, I'm about to reach the last stages of the test, permission for a GO?"

Radio crackle, then a female voice bursts into life, her voice is urgent. "Commander stand down, I repeat stand down, you do not have a go!"

Howard Rimmer sat alone in the cot pit not believing what he had just heard, he had spent 10 long years getting to this point, this was to be his moment and now they were saying no. well bugger them to Earth and back. "Say again Central, please confirm?" he stalled, while completing the final sequence on his panel.

"Sir, we are showing continued sequence you have been ordered to stand down, please acknowledge!" said the now even more urgent female voice.

Howard smirked, no one told him what to do. This was his ticket to greater things, up the ziggerole as his stupid little brother used to say.

A second voice, male came onto the radio. "Howard mate, what you doing? Turn around and come home, we will give this another go tomorrow."

Howard knew that voice, that was Frank his older brother, he'd out shone him from the start, but not this time this was his moment. "Sorry old chum, this is something I need to do."

Now more pressing, almost annoyed "Now listen little brother! Back down, or the old brass are going to be pretty dam heavy with you using their baby like this."

Howard checked the computer, all systems go, and it was now or never. He flicked the plastic protector cover up that shielded the big metal switch, and held his thumb over it. "Frank", he paused thinking what he should say. "Tell them I'm sorry but I've got to do this. Bye for now." And with that he flicked the switch downwards.

The crafts engines went bonkers and space began to bend around him, and then he blacked out, then everything blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2 - Bad news

Chapter 2 – Bad news

* * *

Four months before space test flight incident aboard the SS Reliance:

Howard glanced around at the whiter than white tiled walls of the medi-bay. 20 minutes had past since the nurse had taken his pulse, asked him to say arhhhh, and then taken a blood sample using a device that personally looked more at home in a farm medical kit than a Space Core one. The door on the other side of the room opened and a middle aged balding man walked in, moved to a large white desk and sat down then peering over his thick half moon glasses he beckoning Howard Rimmer over.

"Mr Rimmer Sir." Started the man in a thick German accent only to be interrupted sharply by Howards thick smooth voice.

"That's Commander Rimmer doc."

The doctor ignored the comment and placed the file he had brought with him on the desk and opened it, glancing down at the notes he began to read.

Howard watched as the doctors eyes scanned the data, showing little sign of what the information those pages revealed, until at last he looked up.

"So…Commander Rimmer you have a little problem it seems." Howard gulped, so it was true what the earlier test had indicated. "How bad is it doc, how long have I got?" asked Howard.

The Doctor tapped his finger on the end of his rather pointy chin. "Long, hmmm that is rather hard to say given the stage at which you are at I would say 6 months."

Howard sank into the chair, six months that was not very long at all, hell he had a lot still to do. Six months was not going to get it done. Focusing his mind on the reason he came he addressed the Doctor. "So is there anything that can stop this, or maybe at least slow it down?"

The doctor rose to his feet, Howard hated it when these white coats did this, the 'wondering around speech' he called it. The doctor wondered over to a window and stared out at the blackness of space. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do, you see the problem is, how do I say." He paused thinking of the words. "You see Commander Rimmer your Genes are rebelling, and that is why you are have these strange but completely natural experiences.

Howard gritted his teeth. "Look Doc, I'm a Commander in the space core, not some namby pamby street type, working behind a desk. I am not meant to have these breakdowns, I can't be getting scared or forgetting complex flight sequences. It's my job!"

The doctor returned to his seat. "I know Commander, that is why I am going to suggest some rest for you, maybe with a bit of you time and maybe some art classes this will work itself out."

Howards nostrils flared as he got to his feet. "REST, ART CLASSES, I don't need rest I need answers, and if you can't help me then dam it I'll go elsewhere."

"Sir that is of course up to you, I will of course check your progress and if I feel you are a danger to your position then, well you know."

Howard tensed his fists as he spoke slowly. "You tell the brass, call me crazy, then ship me out of here, is that it?"

"Not quite, but something like that." Replied the Doctor. "Now in the mean time I suggest you continue with the pills I gave you which should help suppress the changes and go rest Commander Rimmer, please."

* * *

**Next time: Howard finds the only man who may be able to help.**


End file.
